Battlestar Galactica TV Review (Covering Mini Series plus Series 1-4)
Starring: Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, Katee Sackhoff, Michael Hogan
2003-2009 ~ Created by Ronald D. Moore
OLD VS NEW
I'm writing this review for two reasons: one because I recently found out there were people who were put off the new televised Battlestar Galactica series after the versions done in the 70s and 80s and having finally completed the new story I felt compelled to tell them what they were missing.
Up until this point I had only seen the European movie release 'Battlestar Galactica' in the 80's, which was a remake of the episode 'Saga of Star World' from the US TV series 'Galactica 1980'. I wasn't much impressed and if that was all I had to go on I would probably have passed over this remake without much thought. However this is a continuation of the story as well as a rebirth of the concept, not to mention using the latest digital affects to their advantage.
Make sure you watch the 2003 Mini-Series first, which was done originally as a pilot, before you go onto watch anything else. It will reveal some essential ideas and character info that you will need, otherwise you might feel a bit lost further down the line.
THE STORY (Contains spoilers)
One of the main ways this story diverges from its predecessor's right from the start is the idea that the Cylons evolved beyond their original design. As well as the classic robot version we knew and loved there are 13 human models, loving referred to as 'skin jobs' so they could infiltrate human society to further the war effort.
Unable to reproduce, there are many cloned 'copies' of each Cylon model that can resurrect after death with their memories intact. Some models don't even know they are Cylon until they are 'switched on' or die for the first time. Throughout the series there is a guessing game as to who these hidden models are, as they are revealed over the course of the show.
We start on the planet Caprica, one of the planets of the twelve colonies that house humanity. Here is where the first wave of the war begins again in this story (after a 40 year ceasefire) with a nuclear holocaust and invasion of the colonies; after a Cylon gains access to the defence mainframe of the planet. From then on the survival of humanity is in the hands of a single fleet spearheaded by the Battlestar. Very quickly all humanity is reduced to tens of thousands of survivors.
To give hope to those left in this dire situation the ranking officer of the Battle Star, Commander William Adama, announces their new mission is to find Earth; to give them a new home. There are myths and legends of a thirteen tribe that made it to Earth and they 'documented' the journey in a set of scriptures, thousands of years old, which they use as a guide. However the fleet is still dogged by the Cylons who at that point are determined to make humans extinct.
However as they have taken on human traits, the Cylons also have free will and a number of copies chose to go against the majority rule of their model line. Some fall in love with humans, some are betrayed and decide to turn against their kind to help humanity instead. When a hybrid is successful born this signals the beginning of the end, bringing the two warring races together. So how do two races, which have been at war for so long that they know nothing else, come to find peace? Watch and you shall see.
THE VERDICT (Contains spoilers)
Although I could go further into the storyline I wouldn't want to ruin the adventure. There are times when the story drags or goes off into a tangent not integral to the overall plot, but the writers are very good at building character and the world to get you hooked.
I felt they also tied up all the loose ends rather nicely as the story competed, showing they had worked on the series as a single concept from the start. Themes that ran throughout are finally explained, often in ways that were surprising. You see the Cylons grow as much as the humans and I feel this is one of the missing elements from the earlier work of mindless killing robots (although there is a lot of bloodshed still in this version, don't be fooled).
I also liked the way they interwove the science fiction and fantasy elements of the story, that focused on religious visions and the one true God of the Cylons, not to mention the human faiths. I think this can be a delicate thing that can easily go wrong, but I felt they struck a good balance (especially as you see a eminent human scientist become a man of faith via Cylon intervention and it seems credible)
Although I could see how this rendition may not be for everyone; especially perhaps die-hard fans of the originals, those who don't like religious connotations in sci-fi and even I got tired of the overuse of the word 'frak'. However I think you could do far worse than sit down of an evening and work your way through this collection. It certainly is a gripping and interesting story.
IN CONCLUSION
I have a few personal criteria when it comes to deciding if a story is worth its weight. I wasn't too surprised that this new TV series of Battlestar Galactica past the test with flying colours.
Firstly they have to make me want to watch more after every episode and suspend my disbelief enough that when the old Hollywood fiction creeps in (e.g. lack of common sense or unrealistic physics etc) it doesn't ruin the story and I'm able to over look it.
As they say toward the end of the fourth series, a good song is one that makes you feel both happy and sad, but this could equally apply to a good story and not only does it apply here, I'm grateful for that slice of wisdom as I venture out into my own books. In fact I know when I've come across something great when it inspires me to write well enough to make my audience feel as they have left me at the end of this epic journey.
Finally the last sign is when I play the ending back over and over in my mind, as if a part of me is morning the loss of the story and doesn't want to let it go. Then I feel this overwhelming urge to tell everyone I know to watch it so they can experience the wonder I went through. This review then stands as testament for how much this story moved me and I know it will be one I return to over the years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
4/5 Essential Sci-Fi Viewing
http://www.scifi.com/battlestar/home.html